Slept-On But Dope Hip Hop Songs From The Week Of 11/11/13

Crooked I and Marco Polo deliver this week's slept-on but dope selections.

Crooked I's "The Shady Dynasty Freestyle Pt. 2"

Like Nice & Smooth, sometimes Crooked I rhymes slow, sometimes he rhymes quick. Regardless of the speed of his flow, though, the Long Beach, California rapper demonstrates on "The Shady Dynasty Freestyle Pt. 2" that he's always nice and consistently smooth. The Slaughterhouse emcee tears through his performance on this lyrically sharp freestyle, which includes several memorable lines, from his affinity for white rappers to his love of the craft of rhymes. There's also an ingenious line about how you won't see him coming. Stellar material. - Soren Baker (@Soren Baker)

Marco Polo f. MC Eiht & King Tee "West Coast Love"

The track's name says it all. This is a West Coast banger. King Tee and MC Eiht deliver performances that show listeners their skills are intact. Marco Polo may not be from the West, but his production lends itself to a West Coast flavor that allows the seasoned emcees to flow free as OGs. This isn't a throwback track (though it has elements of that). It's a testament to longevity and resilience in Hip Hop with a modern twist, much like MC Eiht's appearance on Kendrick Lamar's "m.A.A.d city." And though the name and the flavor show that the West Coast feel is there, this is a selection that deserves love from all parts of the Hip Hop map.